Word@Work Luke351 - Luke 23:55-56
Published: Fri, 05/06/11
Word@Work from BeaconLight
DOING WHAT CAN BE DONE
Luke 23:55-56 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. (NIV)
Love is a motivator. Even when it seems that nothing can be changed, love still wants to do whatever can be done. The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee were helpless after His death. Nevertheless, they did what they could. They had stayed by the cross, had seen all that happened to Him and heard His words. They knew that He was dead. They saw the soldiers' final act of physical abuse and waited until His corpse was taken down from the cross. Then they followed Joseph of Arimathea, not letting the body of Jesus out of their sight. They formed an uneasy procession following Joseph and Nicodemus as they laid Jesus in the new family tomb which had been prepared for Joseph himself (John 19:38-41).
Having seen the sacred body laid to rest and the tomb sealed, these women quickly went home to prepare additional embalming spices. However, the Sabbath was soon upon them at nightfall on Good Friday, preventing them from doing any more work. And so they rested on the Sabbath. But they had no idea of what God was doing behind the scenes: He would release Jesus from death and would use their testimony. Although they only did the best they could to express their love towards Jesus, they became crucial witnesses, proving that Jesus did die and that it was His body in the tomb. Their careful and continuous observation enabled the Gospel writers to establish the truth of His death and the credibility of the resurrection.
We should not be surprised that God uses our little acts of faith for His own purposes. "... we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Whenever people act in faith and love towards the Lord, He moulds their contribution into His greater plan. Those He uses hardly ever understand the full impact of what will be achieved. They simply step ahead in faith and do what they can. So it is best not to try to second-guess what God will do; but to simply express faith, love and obedience in the best way we can - leaving Him to complete the picture so that He gets the glory.
Prayer: Wonderful Lord. Thank You for this reminder that You use every act of faith and love in ways we can never imagine. Thank You for the testimony of these women who carefully observed what they did not understand, and simply obeyed the demands of love and law. Help me to practise a simpler Christian lifestyle, so that I may do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with my God ... so that He will have the glory. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages
Love is a motivator. Even when it seems that nothing can be changed, love still wants to do whatever can be done. The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee were helpless after His death. Nevertheless, they did what they could. They had stayed by the cross, had seen all that happened to Him and heard His words. They knew that He was dead. They saw the soldiers' final act of physical abuse and waited until His corpse was taken down from the cross. Then they followed Joseph of Arimathea, not letting the body of Jesus out of their sight. They formed an uneasy procession following Joseph and Nicodemus as they laid Jesus in the new family tomb which had been prepared for Joseph himself (John 19:38-41).
Having seen the sacred body laid to rest and the tomb sealed, these women quickly went home to prepare additional embalming spices. However, the Sabbath was soon upon them at nightfall on Good Friday, preventing them from doing any more work. And so they rested on the Sabbath. But they had no idea of what God was doing behind the scenes: He would release Jesus from death and would use their testimony. Although they only did the best they could to express their love towards Jesus, they became crucial witnesses, proving that Jesus did die and that it was His body in the tomb. Their careful and continuous observation enabled the Gospel writers to establish the truth of His death and the credibility of the resurrection.
We should not be surprised that God uses our little acts of faith for His own purposes. "... we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Whenever people act in faith and love towards the Lord, He moulds their contribution into His greater plan. Those He uses hardly ever understand the full impact of what will be achieved. They simply step ahead in faith and do what they can. So it is best not to try to second-guess what God will do; but to simply express faith, love and obedience in the best way we can - leaving Him to complete the picture so that He gets the glory.
Prayer: Wonderful Lord. Thank You for this reminder that You use every act of faith and love in ways we can never imagine. Thank You for the testimony of these women who carefully observed what they did not understand, and simply obeyed the demands of love and law. Help me to practise a simpler Christian lifestyle, so that I may do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with my God ... so that He will have the glory. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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